Frozen yogurt is a frozen dessert containing yogurt or other dairy products. It is slightly more tart than ice cream

Ice cream

Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...

, as well as lower in fat (due to the use of milk instead of cream). It differs from ice milk

Ice milk

Ice milk or iced milk is a frozen dessert with less than 10 percent milkfat and the same sweetener content as ice cream. Ice milk is typically priced lower than ice cream, which is unusual because it actually is ice cream, and is typically sold as a generic product.A 1994 change in United States...

 (more recently termed low-fat or light ice cream), which does not include yogurt as an ingredient.

History

Frozen yogurt was introduced in New England in the 1970s as a soft serve dessert by H. P. Hood under the name Frogurt. In 1978, Brigham's, a Boston-based ice cream, candy and sandwich chain, developed and introduced the first packaged frozen yogurt under the name Humphreez Yogart. Around this same time, another packaged frozen yogurt product, called "Danny" debuted from Dannon. This variation was a raspberry yogurt product on a stick, and covered with dark chocolate. Both were originally intended as a healthier alternative to ice cream, but consumers complained about the tart taste and manufacturers began production of a recipe that contained more sugar. Frozen yogurt took off in the 1980s, reaching sales of $25 million in 1986. In the early 1990s, frozen yogurt was 10% of the frozen dessert market.

Production

Frozen yogurt usually consists of milk solids, some kind of sweetener, milk fat, yogurt culture, coloring, and flavoring.

Milk fat comprises about 0.5-6% of the yogurt. Added in quantities inversely proportional to the amount of milk solids, the milk fat lends richness to the yogurt. Milk solids account for 8-14% of the yogurt's volume, providing lactose

Lactose

Lactose is a disaccharide sugar that is found most notably in milk and is formed from galactose and glucose. Lactose makes up around 2~8% of milk , although the amount varies among species and individuals. It is extracted from sweet or sour whey. The name comes from or , the Latin word for milk,...

 for sweetness and proteins for smoothness and increased resistance to melting. Cane or beet sugar provides 15-17% of the yogurt's ingredients. In addition to adding sweetness, the sugar increases the volume of solid ingredients in the yogurt, improving body and texture. Animal gelatins and vegetable additives (guar gum, carrageenan, etc.) stabilize the yogurt, reducing crystallization and increasing the temperature at which the yogurt will melt. This stabilization ensures that the frozen yogurt maintains a smooth consistency regardless of handling or temperature change.

Frozen yogurt can be made in an ice cream machine; however, major companies often use assembly lines specifically dedicated to frozen yogurt production. The milk products and gelatin are combined and homogenized. At 32 °C, the yogurt culture is added. The mix remains at this temperature until it sets and is ready for cooling. After that, the mix is cooled to 0 to 4 °C. Once it has reached the desired temperature and viscosity, the yogurt is allowed to sit in aging tanks for up to four hours. Sweeteners, colorings and flavorings are then mixed in, and the yogurt mixture is cooled to -6 to -2 °C. To create extra volume and smooth consistency, air is incorporated into the yogurt as the mixture is agitated. When a sufficient amount of air has been incorporated into the product, the yogurt is rapidly frozen to prevent the formation of large ice crystals, and stored in a cold place to be shipped.

Uses

Frozen yogurt has come to be used much like ice cream, and is served in a wide variety of flavors and styles. Many companies allow customers the option of adding various toppings, or ordering their frozen yogurt in cups or in cones. Certain sellers offer sugar-free varieties. Frozen yogurt made by chains such as Yogiberry, Blush Yogurt, Pinkberry

Pinkberry

Pinkberry is a franchise of upscale frozen dessert restaurants headquartered in Los Angeles, California. There are currently over 100 stores, mostly located in Southern California, 14 in New York City, New York, two in New Orleans, Louisiana, two in Denver, Colorado, one in Colorado Springs,...

, Red Mango

Red Mango

Red Mango is a frozen yogurt and smoothie brand known for its all-natural frozen yogurt, fresh fruit smoothies, yogurt parfaits, and probiotic iced teas. There are currently more than 145 locations in 25 states in the United States. And in 2011, Red Mango was named the #1 Zagat Rated chain in...

, Cherry on Top, and Yogen Früz

Yogen Früz

Yogen Früz is an international chain of frozen yogurt and smoothie stores that also serves healthy alternative food products. Through company-owned, franchised, and non traditional partnerships, Yogen Früz is the largest franchisor and licensor of stores and other locations that serve primarily...

  is tarter and closer to the original recipe, whereas other companies like TCBY

TCBY

TCBY is an international franchise chain of frozen yogurt stores based in the United States. It is the largest U.S. retailer of soft-serve frozen yogurt with live active cultures....

 and I Can't Believe It's Yogurt focus on making their frozen yogurt taste like ice cream.